Electrical Synapses in the Mammalian Brian

哺乳动物布莱恩的电突触

• 批准号: 7848400
• 负责人: Barry W Connors
• 金额: $ 1.63万
• 依托单位: BROWN UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-01-15 至 2010-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7848400
• 关键词: Brain; Brain Stem; Cell Nucleus; Cells; Characteristics; Chemicals; Cognition; Connexins; Coupled; Coupling; Data; Disease; Electrical Synapse; Emotions; Esthesia; Gap Junctions; Inhibitory Synapse; Interneurons; Invertebrates; Investigation; Laboratories; Location; Measures; Mediating; Membrane; Methods; Molecular; Movement; Neocortex; Neuraxis; Neurobiology; Neurons; Neurotransmitters; Pattern; Physiological; Process; Property; Prosencephalon; Proteins; Regulation; Research; Role; Signal Transduction; Simulate; Space Perception; Specificity; Synapses; System; Testing; Thalamic structure; Transgenic Mice; Work; cell type; connexin 36; excitatory neuron; inhibitory neuron; neural circuit; neuronal circuitry; relating to nervous system; research study

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Electrical synapses are specialized connections, comprising gap junctions,that allow ionic current and small organic molecules to pass from one neuron to another. Only in the past few years has it become clear that electrical synapses are a major feature of the neuronal circuitry across the mammalian central nervous system. The PI's research has shown that electrical synapses are common between inhibitory neurons of the neocortex and thalamus, and that the protein connexin36 is necessary for these connections. This investigation will characterize the functions and the regulation of electrical synapses in the thalamus and neocortex. There are three specific aims: 1) the distribution of electrical synapses in both inhibitory and excitatory neurons of the thalamocortical system will be characterized in detail using electrophysiological, anatomical, and molecular methods; 2) the hypothesis that electrical synapses can coordinate the activity of inhibitory interneuron networks, and the excitatory neurons they contact, will be tested under controlled conditions in thalamus and neocortex; 3) the hypothesis that electrical synapses can be modulated by neural activity, neurotransmitters, and intracellular signaling systems will be tested in thalamus and neocortex. This investigation will provide a deeper understanding of the properties and functions of electrical synapses, a newly recognized feature of the mammalian forebrain.

描述（由申请人提供）：电气突触是专门的连接，包括间隙连接，使离子电流和小有机分子从一个神经元传递到另一个神经元。仅在过去的几年中，很明显电突触是跨哺乳动物中枢神经系统神经元电路的主要特征。 PI的研究表明，新皮层和丘脑的抑制性神经元之间的电突触是常见的，并且对于这些连接而言，蛋白质connexin36是必不可少的。这项研究将表征丘脑和新皮层中电突触的功能和调节。有三个特定的目的：1）使用电生理学，解剖学和分子方法，将对丘脑皮质系统的抑制性和兴奋性神经元的电气突触分布进行详细表征； 2）在丘脑和新皮层的受控条件下，将测试电气突触可以协调抑制性中间神经元网络的活性以及它们接触的兴奋性神经元的活性的假说； 3）可以通过神经活动，神经递质和细胞内信号传导系统调节电突触的假说，将在丘脑和新皮层中进行测试。这项研究将对电气突触的特性和功能有更深入的了解，这是哺乳动物前脑的新知识特征。